Regarding the Article 23 legislation, two questions (for written reply) will be asked in the Council meeting this Wednesday, 15 January 2002. Details are as follows:-

1. Cyd HO to ask

With regard to the video-recording of public processions by the Police, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the criteria adopted by the Police for deciding whether or not to take video records of public processions, and whether uniformed officers or plain-clothes officers should be deployed to do video-recording;

(b) whether the Police deployed uniformed and plain-clothes officers to take video records of the public procession held on 15 December last year by some organizations against the enactment of laws to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law; if so, of the respective numbers of the two types of police officers deployed;

(c) if only plain-clothes officers were deployed to do video-recording on that day, whether and how the Police had tried to inform the participants in the procession of the Police's taking video records of them and of the justifications for doing so;

(d) whether the Police made use of the closed circuit television systems of the Transport Department to monitor the procession on that day and to take shots of the faces of the participants in the procession; and

(e) how the Administration will dispose of the personal data collected in relation to parts (b) to (d) above, and to ensure that the relevant procedures are in compliance with the data protection principles under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486)?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Security

2. Hon Martin LEE to ask:

Regarding the Consultation Document on the Proposals to Implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number of submissions received during the consultation period, how they are classified and determined as supporting or opposing the enactment of laws, and when a detailed compendium of the submissions will be published;

(b) whether it will set out every undertaking made by the officials concerned on various occasions during the consultation period, in respect of the consultation concerning the enactment of laws, interpretation of the provisions and enforcement of the enacted law;

(c) which legislative proposals it will revise and the reasons for making the revisions; and

(d) whether it will consult the Central People's Government ("CPG") again on the enactment of laws; if so, whether CPG's advice will be made public?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Security